Poor Unfortunate Souls
by Jacal Ste. Worme
Summary: Stefonnie. Implied Bamon. Stefan comes to Bonnie's rescue.


AN: Trying my hand at Stefonnie. Implied Bamon though.

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Dedicated especially to **RockerChick08**. Merry Christmas, dear. I couldn't resist your sweet request. :)

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Bonnie had badly sprained her ankle and wrist one cheerleading practice and given that everyone saw her get injured –vamp blood was clearly out of the equation. Besides, she refused to ingest anything that belonged to the undead (much to Damon's disappointment). People had to see that she was human, she insisted, which meant that using some magic to get better was not an option as well. Damon had mocked her for it, but everyone who knew who they really were, knew that the vampire was simply trying to mask his concern. Elena overreacted, as usual, and had made it a point to act as Bonnie's personal gopher.

Actually, Bonnie thought _everyone_ (Damon and Elena specifically) was overreacting because she could function quite well without everyone fussing about her. But she found it a little amusing to be the center of attention for once, even just for a while, but she secretly knew that she will never really get used to it. It was fun to see Elena always doting on her, acting like the mother Bonnie never had, and Damon was the same, acting like an overprotective dad she wish her dad was.

Things got carried away now and then (like, all the time), and soon enough, Elena and Damon's 'intentions' were getting to her. Their 'care' was borderline obsessive and Bonnie, being the smart girl she was, saw what her injuries had made of her best friend and sort-of-boyfriend/enemy. They have transformed their little gestures of kindness into _Survival: Mystic Falls, Vampire Edition_. They were always competing for her attention, trying to show her who was better suited to help her. They tried to outlast, outsmart, outdo every little thing the other did.

For instance, when Damon offered to carry her up the flight of stairs, Elena would dismiss his efforts by saying that he was only trying to grope her (which was partly true in Elena's defense). Damon would retort, and Elena would volunteer to help Bonnie with her bath, so then Elena gets points for that, but then, Damon will disappear and then appear two minutes later with her favorite food. It had been just three days and they were driving her insane.

As much as she started to hate Elena and Damon's loving kindness, Bonnie found herself completely helpless as she stood breathless on the last stair, only a few meters from her room. She was gasping, trying to take deep breaths –and her mind had gone completely blank, devoid of all spells that should make her feel better. Of all the times to burst at her two loyal assistants, it had to be this.

_"If both of you don't leave my house this instant, I will utter a disappearing spell… for me! Both of you are driving me nuts! If you really cared about me, the best you can do now is to give me some peace and quiet!" Bonnie hollered, her chest heaving from anger and frustration. She glared at Elena's wide eyes and Damon's defiant ones._

_"But, Bon…" Damon almost whimpered, raising his hand with the towel, obviously thinking that his puppy dog eyes will work on her to let him help her with her bath this time._

_"BALUGA SEVRUGA…!" she warned, and just like that, she had sent Elena and Damon running down the stairs, and they shut the front door behind them with fear._

And now, Bonnie had tears in her eyes, just wanting to cry and be a girl. She hated her father for being away AGAIN –didn't even have the decency to call her and ask how she was. She despised feeling this way, unable to do anything –it reminded her too much of losing her mother, her grandmother… The hot tears welled up on her eyes and she started to sob.

"Bonnie?"

Feeling a sudden blow of cool air, she blinked away her tears to see Stefan standing beside her, his hand on her elbow, concern vivid in his eyes. And she just lost it. She threw herself at him, cried into his shirt, letting his strong frame support her sudden loss of control. She cried harder when he started to draw those firm but gentle circles on her back, and she felt herself calm down slowly when he started to whisper sweet nothings into her ear. She sniffed and held onto him as he lifted her up, and carried her to her bedroom. He sat them carefully on the bed, still embracing her. _Why couldn't Damon be like you_, she wanted to say out loud, but she stopped herself. All of a sudden, however, she felt shy and intimidated. "Thank you, Stefan."

"Hey, what are friends for," Stefan said with a shy smile. He tucked a loose curl of hair from her face and kept a palm on her cheek. "What did you want to do anyway?" He glanced at the stairs and back at her.

For a while Bonnie forgot why she had been stuck there and also why she had been crying her heart out. "I… remembered I left my grimoire downstairs, and I just got up and…" She remembered the exhaustion, of always having to do everything twice as hard, and the tears stung her eyes again.

Stefan pulled her closer with a one-arm hug. "Shh," he whispered, "Everything's going to be ok."

"I'm sorry," Bonnie murmured, covering her face with her palms, feeling the slight ache on her wrist. "I really hate being so… so _feeble_."

"You are injured, not weak," Stefan assured her with a slight laugh. He absentmindedly dropped a kiss on her temple and drew back. "Wait a second." Without waiting for her reply, he had disappeared from her bedside and reappeared, holding her grimoire in his hand. He placed it on her vanity table and sat back down beside her.

Bonnie leaned her head against his shoulder. "Thank you for coming though. I know they sent you." She couldn't help the disdain in her voice.

Stefan chuckled. "Actually, they didn't." He had seen his brother and Elena arguing outside her house, and he had told them to take a break and leave Bonnie alone for a while. It's his turn to watch, he said, and though Damon gave him a suspicious look, they agreed. Elena left for home while Damon had mumbled going somewhere 'fun'. "I was getting the impression that they were becoming overbearing to you. You shouldn't be stressed when you're injured, you know. Slows the healing process." He gave her a wink and she laughed easily.

"I even threatened them with a spell from The Little Mermaid, but I think they were too afraid of me to notice."

"I'm so proud of you."

Bonnie giggled and felt sandbags behind her eyes. "Really, Stefan, thank you for coming to my rescue." She started to doze off and fall over, but Stefan quickly caught her. For the first time since she got hurt from that stupid cheerleading practice, she finally felt a mixture of relief and happiness that she was receiving this special kind of attention. She let him tuck her in, unable to stop the blush from warming her cheeks.

"It will be better soon," Stefan told her, and went to the door. "If you need anything just holler."

Bonnie just snickered softly, let sleep claim her, and lost control of where her dreams would take her –far away from Mystic Falls, away from Elena and Damon's endless bickering, and into the arms of a younger Salvatore brother.

_Shalalalala_  
_My oh my_  
_Looks like the boy's too shy_  
_Ain't gonna kiss the girl!_

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Making sure that the house was rather safe, Stefan stepped away from the front door. Once he had pulled the door close behind him, he turned his head to be greeted by two piercing blue eyes. "She's already asleep. Don't disturb her."

Damon raised a brow at him, and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Did you need something?" Stefan asked with a bored tone. Not waiting for a reply, he turned to leave, his arm brushing hardly against Damon.

"It's not really about Elena or Katherine, is it?" Damon asked from behind. "Because I have these _vibes_, that you are feeling more than friendly towards _my_ little witch." It's not about the women in particular. _It's about us, always falling for the same girl. _

"She's not yours."

"She isn't yours either."

"I'm going to Elena," Stefan said, fearing how Damon would perceive the quick of his retort. But just as he knew Damon inside and out, his brother knew him well all the same.

Damon snickered. "Run away with your tail behind your legs, brother. It will only take you far."

Stefan left the Bennett residence, his mind clear of confusion and doubt, because he knew, deep inside his brain, that his older brother was always right.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS! To all the Bamon lovers, the Stelena lovers, the Stefonnie lovers! Reviews are Christmas gifts!


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